Community work earns charities top honour

Three charities in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have received awards for their outstanding community work.

Hornsea First Aid Centre, M.A.S.H. Military Assistance Social Hub and Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bikes Service (LEBBS) have been recognised with the King's Award for Voluntary Service.

A total of 250 volunteer-led groups across the UK have received the award for their services, which is equivalent to an MBE.

Sir Martyn Lewis, the Chairman of the King's Award for Voluntary Service said the groups were "three terrific winners who are the very best of the community".

Recipients are rewarded for their work across mental health, youth, environment, community, arts and heritage.

Rosie Bullard, the founder and chairman of Hornsea First Aid Centre said her team of 32 volunteers were "honoured and absolutely delighted" with the award.

Operating from a portable cabin in a supermarket car park, the charity treats between 800 and 1,000 people for minor injuries each year.

Bullard said the cabin has no running water or heating, and the lights are run with solar panels on the roof.

"We've been looking for several years for new premises, and we're wondering whether this might help us."

Another recipient, M.A.S.H. runs social hubs to support veterans and their families in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

LEBBS offers a service transporting blood, medical samples and supplies throughout Lincolnshire.

Rob Brunswick, the charity's NHS liaison officer, said the award was a culmination of "years of hard work and effort".

"LEBBS is 100% volunteer led and funded by donations from the general public, and we're now doing extraordinary things supporting the NHS in Lincolnshire in a number of areas," he said.

Sir Martyn said judges consider around 600 nominations for the awards each year.

"If you look at the voluntary sector it is universally all about people doing positive things for the community.

"The feeling that you have done something to help somebody else is quite phenomenal," Sir Martyn said.

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